Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica B. F. RAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEM ENT IN HARVESTERS.

Speelde-ation forming part ot' Leiters Patent No. 34,215, dated January Q1, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, B. F. RAY, of the city of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on Harvesters; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and .exact description,thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters and marks thereon.

Although my improvements may be used, in part or in whole, upon other harvesters, they are specially applicable tot-hat harvester 011 which a patent was granted to me on the 15th day of February, 1859.

The drawings forming part of this specification represent the harvester of the patent here referred to with my present improvements aliixed thereto. Y

Of these drawings, Figure l is a side view ofthe machine, looking toward the inner suri'ace of the main or power wheel; and 2,

a top view, or a view looking down upon the machine. Y

In each of these figures wherelike parts are shown like letters and marks are used to indicate the parts.

On these drawings the main. or power wheel is marked a.; the cam-groove in the inner suriaceof the wheel, I); the shaft of the frame in the center of the wheel, c; the frictionroller, d the crank-arm of the friction-roller, e; the rocker-shaft indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l the arm connecting the cutterbar tothe rocker-sl1aft,f, the cutter-bar, g; the frame ofthe cutter-bar, 71.,- the main bar of the i'raine, fc3; the brace between the main bar and the bar ofthe cutter-frame, j; the drivers seat It, and the lever t'or operating the frame ot' the cutter-bar m, the tongue being marked l. Y f

In the machine ofthe patent above alluded to, as also in that of this application, the cutter-bar derives its motions by the rotation of the main orv power wheel, the cam-groove of which aetuates the rocker-shafts through the intervention of the friction roller and its crank-arm, and the rockershaft operating the cutter-bar by the connecting-arm f. In the machine of the patent the friction of the rocker-shaft is entirely upon the upper part, fu., of the supporting-collar o, which is attached to the frame-bar of the machine, the head p ol the rocker-shafts bearing upon this point of the collar. Finding this arrangement detrimental to the easy working and wear of these parts, I remedy the difculty by adding to the lower part of the supporting-collar a step, q, wherein is a bearing for the lower end, 1;, of the rockershait, and I thus relieve the upper part of the collar of a part ofthe friction, and give these parts easier and smoother motion. This step may be permanently attached to the lower part ofthe collar, or it may be'serewed thereto. This latter named way of attaching it will allow of its being adjustedy and thus adapted to the wear ot' the parts, as also of throwing upon the head of the collar a greater or less amount of friction as may be desirable. In the machine of this application I have also a different arrangement ot' means from that of the machine of the patent for elevating and lowering the cutter-bar and its frame. The tongue Z is connected to the frame of the machine by a band, s, and bolt t, and nut, the rear end of the tongue being rounded off thus, making a joint of some' motion. Another band, a', attached at its upper end by a hook, t, to the front end of the lover on, embraces the tongue, and by a movable jointfw, is conT neeted to the curved part .t of the frame-bar fi. The lever m is also connected to the rear end of the tongue byia movable joint, y. The lever extends back to the drivers seat, and has the usual standard, z, for holding it in the position desired. By this arrangement of means the cuttenbar and its frame can readily be raised or lowered while the machine is in motion, and be entirely under the control of the driver in his seat.

4 The frame of this machine is attached to the main wheel at one point only-at the center of the wheel and by the shaft. A cross-bar, z', at the end of the frame-bar supports the drivers seat. From this cross-bar a spring bar, y', passes forward,and rests upon the outer axle-bearing of the wheel. This spring-bar and cross-bar may be of one continuous piece with the frame-bar, or of two pieces, as may be preferred. rIhe spring-bar gives elasticity to the back end of the framebar and to the drivers seat, while it supports to some extent both. The frame-bar t and the bar of the eutters frame lz., I make, as is shown by the drawings, of one continuous piece, curving it downward and backward, as at or, and again curving it late ally at a". Il' made of wrought nous.

metal, the Whole :may readily be Worked into ythe necessary form. If a part be made of malleztble cast-iron, by riveting or other Weilknown means the pieces may be made contin- When made of one piece, the expense of the Whole will be less than when made, as is usual, of separate and distinct pieces. By having the curving 0f the continuous bar at the point shown, x, a sufficient degree of elastic'ity exists to `allow of the Amachines being protected from injury by the frame of the cutter-bar coming In contact with stones or other hard substances,y which, without such curve7 would breek or injure the machine.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to I B. F. RAY.

Ntnessesz WILLIAM BEAM, FREDERICK E'rcHIsoN. 

